


Ignoring the signs

by Dolt



Category: High school stories
Genre: Baseball, High School, M/M, slow build to relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-05-29 21:04:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6393685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolt/pseuds/Dolt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mattias is a junior in high school and a right fielder, he notices before basball starts that he is gay and is interested in Carlos. He knows Carlos is straight, because the most popular guy in school has to be straight right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Infield Homerun

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt from tumblr. Comments are welcomed and appreciated. If you have a prompt you want me to write inbox it to me.

Mattias was on his way to his third period weight class. He stood 6'5" tall, had a Fauxhawk hair style and long beard, his hair color was grey, and his eye color was grey. He wore blue wranglers, a blue Longsleeve button up shirt, and brown steel toe boots. He entered the gym and went over to his teacher to sign in. After signing in he headed into the locker room. It was the worst kept secret in high school that Mattias was gay. He went to his locker and entered the combination, opened the locker, took out his gym clothes and shoes and began changing. He was always the first one in but not too long before the others. He went to school in a small rural town so the classes were small. This gym class had twelve students and they were all boys. Mattias and two others were juniors, there was one senior, three sophomores, and five freshmen. Mattias had just gotten his long sleeve button up off and was working on his boots when the door opened and the others started coming in.

"Hey Mattias early as always I see." Said Ivan. Ivan was Carlos' younger brother and a sophomore. He was 6'2" tall, had black hair, light brownish tan skin, and hazel eyes. He wore blue jeans, a yellow tshirt, and blue sketchers. He knew that Mattias was into Carlos but didn't want to say anything to either one of them.

"Damn Mattias you got some muscles on you." Said Jerry. Jerry was a ginger, he stood 5'9" tall, he wore a grey v neck tshirt, blue skinny jeans, and white vans. He was a junior like Mattias and always said and did strange things to make everyone laugh. He wasn't afraid of whipping his dick out in front of a bunch of guys or running around naked in hotels. Jerry was just Jerry.

"Jerry I have looked like this pretty much all year. And yes Ivan early like always." Mattias replied with a smile.

Carlos walked by and got into his locker next to Mattias. He stood 5'6" tall, had the same skin color as his brother Ivan, black hair, Hazel eyes, wore an orange tank top, blue skinny jeans, and grey vans. He took off his tank top revealing his well toned six pack and defined chest. You could see the makings of his v line. His back had smooth muscles and just when Mattias was just begining to regain control Carlos pulled his pants down and his tight black Hanes boxer briefs went with his pants. Ivan started laughing and so did most everyone else. Carlos turned red and pulled his underwear back up. Mattias sat with his head down putting on his black shorts and tank top. Ivan was watching Mattias and looking back at Carlos. He looked at Carlos just in time to see him look at Mattias and bite his lower lip. Ivan got a quizzical look on his face then shook his head and walked out of the locker room. It was probably nothing was all he could think of. Mattias was the next person out of the locker room. Ivan and Mattias went straight to work running their ten laps around the gym before heading into the weight room for their regular routine. By the time Mattias and Ivan were on their third lap Jerry, Walker, and Chris came out to join them. Walker was one of the other two sophomores and Chris was the other. Walker stood 5'9" tall, white, had brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing grey basketball shorts, a white tank top, and grey sneakers. Chris stood 5'5" tall, tan, had black hair and green eyes. He was wearing a purple tank top, orange basketball shorts and orange sneakers.

"Hey Mattias how much are you gonna bench today?" Walker asked when he caught up to Mattias.

"Not sure, we are just gonna have to wait and see." Mattias replied.

"Are you gonna try and break your record?" Chris asked.

"I always try to break my record." Mattias said to Chris.

"Ok so that means you need two spotters again." Chris said back.

"Ya at least two, we might need three this time." Mattias said with a smile.

"Damn you are gonna try for a big lift then." Walker said shaking his head.

"Count me in as a spotter Mattias." Jerry said.

"Ya me too." Walker said.

"Ok that makes two just need one more." Mattias said.

"Sorry Mattias I don't trust myself with that kind of responsibility." Chris said.

"It's leg day for me Mattias sorry, maybe next time." Ivan said.

"No worries guys I understand." Mattias said.

They ran another four laps before the rest of the guys came out. Corbin and Jacob kept pace with each other ahead of the rest. Corbin stood 6' tall, was white, had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He wore blue basketball shorts, a grey tank top, and blue sneakers. Jacob stood 5'6" tall, was white, had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He wore black basketball shorts, a black tank top, and grey sneakers. The two had been best friends for as long as anyone could remember, they were also two of the five freshmen. Not far behind them were Jose, Payton, Zach and Garret. Garret was a junior like Mattias and Jerry. He stood 6'1" tall, was white, had brown hair and blue eyes. He wore green basketball shorts, a white tank top, and white sneakers. Jose stood 5'7" tall, was brownish tan, had black hair, and brown eyes. He wore silver basketball shorts, a grey tank top, and black sneakers. Payton stood 5'9" tall, was tan, had brown hair and green eyes. He wore pink basketball shorts, an orange tank top, and white sneakers. Zach stood 6'3" tall, was white, had brown hair and blue eyes. He wore white basketball shorts, a white tank top, and brown sneakers. Mattias made a mental note that Carlos hadn't come out of the locker room. Probably enough of an embarrassment that he decided to get re dressed and go home or he is just gonna sit in the locker room until the bell rang. The class went into the weight room and Zach ended up being the third spotter. By the end of class Mattias had broken his record of 300 pounds and set a new record of 375 pounds. They went back into the locker room to get changed and head to their next class. Carlos was still in there sitting on the bench looking at his phone.

"Carlos you missed it dude! Mattias broke his record, 375 pounds! Can you believe that?" Corbin said excitedly.

"Ya I thought he wasn't quite gonna make it, but he did." Chris said.

"Well I did start to drop it there towards the end, and Zach was like asleep or something." Mattias laughing.

"One second you were fine then the next thing I knew everyone was yelling at me to grab the pole." Zach said turning red.

"I gotta admit that was some funny shit watching Zach have a mini heart attack trying to stop the falling weight." Ivan said.

"That's cool, I guess I missed out on a big moment today. Sorry guys maybe tomorrow I can see a new bigger record be set. Government then lunch, followed by English then two hours off. Practice starts after school today right?" Carlos said distractedly.

"No, practice starts next week on Monday right after school. Are you okay Carlos?" Mattias replied quizzically.

"Ya I'm fine. Everything is good." Carlos said getting up and heading for the exit.

Mattias watched him leave with a worried expression on his face. It wasn't like Carlos to sit in the locker room during weights class. It was also strange that he would forget when baseball practice started after being on the team going on four years. The bell rang and everyone headed out to their next class. Mattias, Jerry, and Garret had English next. Chris, Walker, and Ivan had math next. Corbin, Jacob, Jose, Payton, and Zach all had ag mech next. The small group would not meet back up until after school when they all went with Mattias to work at a large garage. Mattias was a diesel mechanic after hours on his free time. When he wasn't busy though him and the guys would go out behind the garage to the ball field and play a few games. It kept everyone on their toes and ready when baseball finally came back around. Mattias snapped back to reality right before he reached the door to his English class. He went in and sat down next to Garret. Today they were trying to find the deeper hidden message behind to kill a mocking bird. Mattias wrote his essay and turned it in. He didn't like discussing his thoughts on these types of assignments with his classmates. So while the rest of the class discussed the true hidden message he found his mind wandering back to the events in the locker room and how Carlos accidentally pulled his boxers down with his pants. He did quickly look away but it wasn't the first time he had seen Carlos' bare ass. It was smooth, round, plump, and small but not so small you couldn't notice it. Mattias shook his head trying to get the thought out of his head. It kept bugging him that Carlos sat in the locker room alone, was that his crippling fear? Being seen naked by the other guys on the team? He told himself to stop worrying about it tit wasn't his business anyways. If anyone would figure it out and help Carlos it would have to be Ivan.

"Mattias wanna go to my place for lunch?" Garret asked.

"Umm... Sure I guess?" Mattias replied uneasily.

"What?" Garret asked looking confused.

"You have never asked me to go to lunch with you at your house. It is kinda different. I was expecting a catch." Mattias replied.

"Well you look lost in thought and my family is outta town for a month so we can talk alone at my house." Garret explained.

"Garret it sounds like you are asking Mattias out on a date." Jerry said bluntly.

"Nope. I'm not asking you out on a date Mattias." Garret said quickly.

"Well ok then." Mattias said.

"Oh shit! No, not that you're not attractive and I wouldn't date you. It's just I'm straight and kinda with someone already so ya..." Garret replied nervously.

"It's ok Garret you're not my type anyways." Mattias said with a smile.

"Ouch. Dude that has gotta hurt being rejected by the only openly gay guy in school." Jerry said.

"Thanks for recapping what just happened Jerry, really appreciate it." Garret said frustratedly.

"Garret are you crying right now?" Mattias asked.

"Nope." Garret replied.

"I know I'm just messing with you." Mattias said with a small laugh and a smile.

The bell rang and everyone headed out of the building to lunch. Mattias followed Garret to the parking lot. Garret drove an '87 Ford F-150. Mattias drove a '71 El Camino SS. Mattias followed Garret to his house and the two went in together. Garret fixed them both a sandwich. Mattias sat in deep thought throughout the lunch period. When he finished his sandwich he finally had to say what was on his mind.

"I can't figure out why Carlos stayed in the locker room all hour today. Like why the Hell would he just sit in there all hour? Was what happened really that bad?" Mattias asked Garret.

"Well it is the first time I've ever seen his ass. Maybe he has a fear of being seen nude." Garret replied calmly.

"Wait that was the first time you've seen his ass?" Mattias asked.

"Ya why?" Garret replied.

"Because that's like the eighth time I've seen it." Mattias replied.

"Wow. What do you do follow him into the bathroom on trips?" Garret asked.

"No. He just has bared his ass in front of me a lot. I think they were all on accident. It has only happened when he is wearing his skinny jeans." Mattias replied.

"That is a little strange. I'm not positive but I think you are the only person who has seen his ass that many times, or at least more than just today." Garret replied.

"Well you can go ahead and investigate the matter on your own." Mattias said getting up from the kitchen table and heading for the door.

The two got into their trucks and headed back to the school. They got back a little early and found some of the other guys out by the big oak. Mattias went to see if Jerry was ready for the dumbest history class ever. The history teacher liked to belittle ex presidents all hour. Mattias hated that class more than anyone in his class.

"So let's address the elephant in the room." Corbin said.

"What do you want Corbin." Mattias asked.

"I just want to point out that Mattias is the oldest kid in school. Yet he is a junior." Corbin stated.

"Corbin has anyone ever told you you're fucking stupid." Zach asked.

"Ok so who else wants to watch Corbin get killed by Mattias after school today?" Jacob asked stepping to the side.

"I got held back twice in the sixth grade because I was disinterested in school at the time. So yes I'm 19 and a junior. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm the highest gpa in my class." Mattias replied calmly.

"Well now that we have that out of the way. Has anyone here ever seen Carlos' ass bare other than today?" Garret asked.

Most everyone shook their heads no. Everyone except for Mattias and Ivan. Everyone looked at Ivan in disbelief. Apparently it wasn't very hard for them to believe that Mattias had seen Carlos' bare ass more than once. But they couldn't grasp the idea that Ivan had seen his brother's bare ass more than just today. It was actually kind of a weird thought.

"Really Ivan?" Garret asked dumb founded.

"Umm... Ya we kinda live together. We share a room. He changes in there and doesn't care if I see. Plus I've walked in on him in the shower. I mean it's not like I'm gonna try and do anything to him, he's my brother and I'm not gay." Ivan replied.

"Ok that makes sense I guess." Garret replied.

The bell rang and everyone went to class. History class was a real treat today. The teacher was on a rant about how Lincoln ruined America. Mattias was getting thoroughly pissed the fuck off. Jerry was trying very hard not to laugh. Garret was asleep. Yet the teacher just kept going. He didn't care how uncomfortable his class was on the subject. He didn't care if the entire class disagreed with him. He just flat out hated Lincoln. He also hated Rosevelt and Kennedy. The teacher was an asshole. Everyone had nicknamed him the Nazi. He was German and his father did serve hitler in World War II. He was well known around town to spout shit about how much better the world would be if Germany had won the war. Usually he was drunk and not teaching when he said this.

"I am tired of dealing with this fucking bullshit every god damn day. Why the fuck do we have to put up with this fucking dumb son of a bitch anyway So?" Mattias said to Jerry and Garret.

"Maybe it's because history teachers are lifers. And it is hard to find a good one." Garret suggested.

"The principal doesn't give a fuck about anything. No one wants to come out here to the middle of nowhere Nevada and teach. So we get these bullshit washed up teachers." Jerry replied.

"I might kill him if he doesn't shut the fuck up and just teach us something meaningful for once." Mattias said.

"Is there something you want to share with the entire class Mr. Johnson?" The nazi asked.

"Ya, we are wasting our fucking time listening to your bullshit rants everyday." Mattias replied.

"How's about you go share your thoughts with the principal Mattias?" The nazi said.

"Gladly!" Mattias shouted at him. Then he got up and walked out of the room heading to the office.

When he got to the office he was told to sit in a chair and wait to be called in. So he did as he was told. It was more so he could calm down rather than anything else. He thought it was gonna be an easy in and out with detention as the verdict. Nope not this time. This time he was suspended for three weeks. He gathered his things and headed for the parking lot to get in his El Camino and head home. He was halfway to his vehicle when he heard Coach Topholm yell at him.

"Mattias! Get over here now!" Coach Topholm yelled at him.

Nit wanting to make the situation worse he went over to his coach/pe teacher.

"Yes coach?" Mattias asked.

"What the hell is your problem today kid?" Coach Topholm asked.

"What do you mean Coach?" Mattias asked.

"First I hear that you have really upset Carlos and now you got suspended for cussing out a teacher. What's going on?" Coach Topholm asked.

"Well the nazi is a horrible teacher. We don't learn anything in his class other than his personal opinions on presidents and wars we fought. He doesn't teach us about what happened or why. I feel like I'm just wasting my time coming to class every day." Mattias replied.

"Ok ya I understand you there. I'm gonna work on getting your suspension removed. But you need to tell me what you did to Carlos so we can fix this situation. I've never seen him this bad before." Coach Topholm said.

"I didn't do anything to Carlos. I swear on my grandmothers grave that I didn't do anything Top." Mattias said adamantly.

"That's not what Ivan told me. He said it's because of you that Carlos is acting strange today." Top replied.

"Well if I did do something then I don't know what it was Top." Mattias said.

"Ok fine we will figure it out later. But for now you are gonna wait in my office while I talk to the principal about the nazi." Top said leading Mattias back into the school.

Mattias went into Coach Topholm's office and waited like he was told to. After a while the bell rang and students went on their way to their next period class. Before too long Garret walked into Coach Topholm's office with a laptop and sat down next to Mattias. He had independent study this hour. It was basically online classes that you took for college while still in high school.

"I see that Top is waging a war now." Garret said as he sat down.

"Well he sure has confused the fuck out of me today." Mattias replied.

"How?" Garret asked.

"According to Top I'm the reason Carlos is acting strange today. I did something that has upset him." Mattias said.

"What did you do?" Garret asked puzzled.

"I don't fucking know. It has me stumped. I can't think of anything that I did today that could put Carlos into such a slump." Mattias replied frustratedly.

"Well that is a mystery. Do you know how Top found out you're the reason?" Garret asked.

"He said Ivan told him that was why Carlos was acting strange today." Mattias replied.

"Then go to Ivan and ask him how you upset Carlos." Garret told Mattias.

"I don't think Ivan is gonna be that easy. He usually is a bit of a dick when it comes to things like this." Mattias replied.

"Ya but that's what makes Ivan fun to hang out with. He always has something that will keep you on your toes. Or at least bug the shit out of you to the point where you just wanna kill him." Garret said.

Top came back into his office at that time and handed Mattias a hall pass for him to go to the sophomore English class and retrieve Ivan.

"I figured it might help you solve some issues a little faster." Top said.

Mattias got out of his chair and exited Topholm's office. He went down the hall to the English room and handed the pass to the English teacher. He was excused from the room along with Ivan. The two went out of the room and into the hall where Mattias started questioning Ivan.

"What do you mean I'm the one who made Carlos act the way he is today?" Mattias asked Ivan frustratedly.

"Well it's obvious enough to me how you did it." Ivan replied.

"Yes but only YOU know!" Mattias yelled at him.

"Wow are you this oblivious to everything?" Ivan asked in disbelief.

"Oblivious to what Ivan?" Mattias asked getting even more frustrated with the whole situation.

"Carlos was looking at you and biting his lower lip when he bared his ass in the locker room today." Ivan replied.

"No. He wouldn't do something like that. He's the straightest guy I know. There is no way he would intentionally bare his ass for me to see." Mattias said not believing a word Ivan had to say.

"Ok. Then why are you the only person besides me to have ever seen his bare ass?" Ivan asked.

"I don't fucking know. It's just a coincidence." Mattias replied.

"No it's not Mattias, and you know it." Ivan replied.

"It has to be." Mattias said still refusing to believe Ivan.

"Mattias, I know my brother better than anyone else. Trust me that I know what I'm talking about when I tell you he is gay." Ivan said bluntly.

"I would believe that if I didn't really know him." Mattias replied.

"Mattias I wouldn't lie to you about something like this." Ivan said.

"Fine, if he is gay and did bite his lip at me then why hasn't he told me himself?" Mattias asked.

"Because he is afraid of what you will say to him. He isn't quite as ok with it as you are. He is afraid people will hate him for being gay." Ivan replied. "Or at least that is what I have come to believe about the situation."

"I will only believe this if he comes to me with it himself Ivan. Not any other way. I'm sorry but it's just too big of an issue for me to jump to any conclusions before I hear it from him." Mattias said as he turned and walked back down the hall to Coach Topholm's office.


	2. The Fouls of the Game

-Three days later-

It was Thursday, the last day of the regular four day week out in this rural Nevada town, after school today Mattias and the guys would go to the garage. The guys would all bring their vehicles and Mattias would do some work on all of them when he had free time. After that it would be a three day weekend of baseball practices and partying. Well unofficial baseball practice, meaning no coaches just players. Carlos and Mattias hadn't talked since Monday. He figured if anything needed to be said Carlos would talk to him. It was always best to give him his space when he got upset like this. Monday after school Mattias went to the garage and found Jerry, Garret, Chris, Corbin, Jacob, and Zach waiting for him. Jose, Carlos, Ivan, Walker, And Payton never showed up so they did batting practice without them. It was a fun practice they lost two baseballs from Mattias hitting home runs. Garret survived a pickle, and Jerry stole two bases. Mattias walked into the halls of the high school and went to his locker. Next week would be the first official week of baseball and that Saturday would be the spring dance. A lot of people were getting dates to the dance already. Ivan was going with Isabel. Corbin was taking Alexis, and Jacob was taking Lateasha. Jose was dead set on going alone. Jerry was taking Angelica. Walker was taking Abby. Chris was going with Jordan. Zach was going with Alyssa. Garret was taking Tia. Carlos would most likely go with Morgan like all the other dances. Mattias was not going at all he went to homecoming and was being forced to goto prom so that was enough dances for him. He entered his lock combination and pulled the door open. A paper fell out of the locker and landed between his feet. He grabbed his math book, knelt down and grabbed the paper, then closed his locker and headed for Algebra II.

"Hey Mattias! Ready for more rounds of hangman today's?" Garret asked him as he sat down at the table.

"Proficiencies still?" Mattias replied.

"Ya, until lunch today." Garret said.

"Ok let me get the white boards, markers, and erasers then we can do this." Mattias replied getting up and heading to get the stuff from the other side of the room.

Mattias returned shortly after with two whiteboards, two markers, and two erasers. As per their custom Garret had the first round of coming up with the hangman. Mattias would be guessing first. Garret could come up with some random off the wall stuff. But Mattias was used to it by now so he could figure them out most of the time. They had a rule that you had to list a category above the gallows. The first category of the day was school rumor. Matias hated this category with a burning passion.

Garret had finished setting up the hang man answer and showed it to Mattias. It was a three word answer. The first word was three letters long, the second word was three letters long also, and the third word was six letters long. Garret gave Mattias the signal to begin.

"Ok let's see.... How about A?" Mattias asked Garret.

Garret wrote down two A's. The first a was the first letter in the second word. The second a was the second letter in the third word.

"Are there any E's?" Mattias asked Garret.

Garret drew a head coming down off of the rope and placed in in the box.

"Well fuck. Let's go for an O." Mattias said.

Garret wrote down two O's. The first was the second letter in the first word. The second was the fifth letter in the third word.

"Wow really Garret? Are you fucking kidding me you son of a bitch." Mattias said to Garret angrily.

"What Mattias?" Garret asked Mattias curiously.

"I want to solve for the answer." Mattias replied.

"Go ahead." Garret replied.

"You and Carlos." Mattias said.

"Yep that was definitely the answer. How did you guess?" Garret replied.

Mattias took the board from Garret and erased it before handing it back and started on his own hangman category and answer.

"Well? Is it true?" Garret asked Mattias.

"Wow are you really asking Mattias that now?" Jerry asked coming over to the table and sitting down next to Garret.

"Is what true?" Mattias asked the two of them irritatedly.

"Did Ivan really tell you that Carlos is gay and into you?" Garret asked.

"That's more of a question for Ivan than me." Mattias replied.

"They already asked me Mattias." Ivan replied from behind them.

"Well what did you tell them?" Mattias asked Ivan.

"I told them that they needed to talk to you or Carlos. It looks like they chose to ask you instead of him." Ivan replied calmly.

"Yes ok. That's what Ivan told me Monday. I don't really believe that he is telling the truth though so I haven't done anything about it. I mean if it was true Carlos would have come to me with it himself by now. So therefore Ivan has to be lying to me." Mattias replied to them all.

"Okay so that part of the rumor is true. What about the other part." Garret asked.

"Ya is it true Mattias?" Jerry asked.

"Is what true?" Mattias asked.

"Did Carlos leave a note in your locker before school today?" Garret asked.

"I did find a note in my locker today but I haven't read it yet. I don't even know who it is from." Mattias replied.

"Well then let's read it now and solve this mystery." Jerry replied.

Mattias was looking down at his board coming up with the next category. Then he started writing down the lines for the words to the answer. Garret took the board away from him.

"Come on Mattias don't you want to know what the note says? Or at least who the note is from?" Garret asked.

"Fine if you are so fucking concerned about what the damn thing says and who the fuck it's from then find out yourself." Mattias said throwing the note at the two.

The bell rang and Mattias got up and went out in the hall and headed to his locker. He got there entered his combination and put his math books away. He then proceeded to take out his chemistry books for his second period chemistry class. When he closed his locker he noticed that Justin and his younger brother Austin were approaching him. Justin was a junior like Mattias and Austin was a sophomore. Justin stood 5'9" tall, was white, had brown hair, and hazel eyes. He was wearing a black dc hat, a grey and black striped tee shirt with a black pocket on the front, black basketball shorts that hugged his ass, and black vans. Austin stood 6'0" tall, was white, had blond hair, and brown eyes. He was wearing a tight turquoise tee shirt, blue skinny jeans, and white vans.

"Hey Mattias. Are you going to be at the garage after school again today?" Justin asked as he got closer to Mattias.

"Ya I'm gonna be there until 7:30 why?" Mattias replied.

"I was wondering if you would be able to work on my truck today after school some time." Justin replied to Mattias.

"Ya bring it in at 5:30 and I will see what I can do." Mattias replied.

"Ok thanks Mattias." Justin said.

"So Austin I see you at all the baseball games every year. If you like the sport so much why not join the team?" Mattias asked Austin.

"Umm... Well uh... You see..." Austin stammered.

"Austin goes to the games so he can check you and Carlos out." Justin replied.

"Justin!" Austin yelled before hitting Justin repeatedly.

Mattias just shook his head and walked into class. He sat in his usual seat in the middle of the far left row of desks. Mattias was the first student to enter the class room. Mr. Gorrun was setting up the morning warmup science equations on the board. The rest of the students started entering the classroom and by the time the start bell rang everyone was in the classroom other than Justin.

"Ok I have set up a series of chemical chains and I want you to determine which ones are correct and which ones are incorrect." Mr. Gorrun said.

Mattias and the other students set to it working on the equations.

"Mattias I was told to give you this today. Also I was told to give you this also by Mr. Tector." Said Mr. Gorrun handing Mattias two notes.

"Ok thanks." Mattias replied taking the two notes and stuffing them into his pocket.

Mattias worked on his equations until the door to the classroom opened half an hour later and Justin walked in with a note. He went to his desk in front of Mattias and sat down getting to work on the equations.

"So Justin what did you do to make you miss half of class?" Mattias asked Justin.

"I had to go talk with the principal for making my brother cry. By the way that's not really why Austin goes to all the games but doesn't join the team. He just doesn't feel comfortable with the idea of changing clothes in the same room as the only openly gay guy in school. No offense but he has issues with that kind of stuff." Justin told Mattias.

"It's ok I'm used to it. When we go out of town for games I usually get some pretty harsh things said and done to me." Mattias replied.

"Ya but aren't most people afraid of you anymore after all the fights you've gotten into along with the team?" Justin asked.

"Well ya most people are but that doesn't stop them from expressing their hatred for gay people like myself." Mattias explained.

"Trust me that's not Austin. He is insecure with how he looks so he is afraid of changing in front of you." Justin replied.

"I wouldn't look at him. I don't look at any of the other guys when they are changing. It's a respect thing." Mattias replied.

"Mattias you and I both know that you have looked at every guy on the team while they are changing." Justin told Mattias.

"Ok yes I have but that was only because they told me to when I was distracted." Mattias responded.

"Can you prove that?" Justin asked.

"I can testify to what he has said as it being the truth." Ivan said from behind Mattias.

"Ok if Ivan says it's true then I can believe you." Justin replied.

"Ok good. I might be gay but I'm not a pervert." Mattias replied.

"If he wants to join the team I can change in the bathroom instead of the locker room it would be ok with me. I don't want to hold him back from joining the team. I will figure out where to change on away trips with Top and I can fork out the extra cash for my own room on the trips." Mattias told Justin.

"I wouldn't want to put you out like that Mattias." Justin replied.

"It's ok I don't want to keep Austin from enjoying high school." Mattias told Justin.

"Ok if you are set on doing this then I will go ahead and tell Austin after class to go and sign up." Justin told Mattias honestly.

Mattias finished his work and turned it in then asked if he could go and talk with Top. Mr. Gorrun told him to go ahead. Mattias gathered his things and left the classroom. He went to his locker and put his stuff away. Then he proceeded to walk down the hallway to the athletic directors office. Coach Topholm was the schools athletic director along with being the coach of various sports. He reached Top's office and went in. He went in far enough to see that Top was typing up practice schedules, a sheet with all the signs on it, and various different calls to understand.

"Hey Top do you have a moment?" Mattias asked as he approached Top's desk.

"Ya Mattias. What's up bud?" Top asked.

"I'm gonna start changing in the restroom instead of the locker room from now on. When we go to away games I will find somewhere to change other than the locker room as well. Also I am gonna fork out the extra cash so you can put me in a room alone instead of with some of the other guys on the team." Mattias told Top.

"Ok, might I ask what brought all of this up?" Top asked concerned.

"It has been brought to my attention that some of the guys are uncomfortable changing with me in the room. Also I have heard that the fact I change with the other guys and share a room with them is keeping some guys from joining the team." Mattias told Top.

"Who said this?" Top asked turning his full attention to Mattias at this point in time.

"A few players on the team and some kids around school." Mattias replied dodging the question.

"Mattias anything you say to me doesn't leave this room. You can tell me who said this stuff to you." Top told Mattias trying to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Well Ivan told me that Carlos is uncomfortable with me. Then today I earned from Justin that Austin didn't join the team the past couple years because he is uncomfortable with me also." Mattias told Top.

"So no one is pressuring you to change in other areas and get a room alone?" Top asked.

"No no one is pressuring me. I only want to make everyone comfortable and be able to enjoy their time in high school without fear of a gay guy." Mattias replied.

"Ok if this is what you want to do then I guess we are gonna have to do this." Top said.

"Thanks for being understanding Top." Mattias said.

"I don't necessarily agree with this decision but I'm not gonna stand between you and what you think is right." Top told Mattias.

Mattias turned around, walked back out of the office and headed back to his locker. The bell rang signaling the end of second period. Students began filling the halls and Mattias put his backpack in his locker then he headed out to the gym for his third period weights class. On his way out he saw Justin go over to Austin and start talking to him. Mattias walked along the walkway to the gym and entered through the double doors. He crossed the gym floor to the locker room and went to his locker. He entered his combination and grabbed his gym clothes. Then he went into the restroom and entered a stall to change. When he finished he went into the locker room and looked at the floor the whole time he was in there putting up his clothes. He went back out onto the gym floor and began running his ten laps. Everyone was in the locker room when he went in to put his stuff up but he didn't say anything to anyone.

It was a good fifteen minutes before the rest of the class came out and started running laps. Mattias stayed half a lap ahead of everyone the entire time he was finishing up his laps. Then he got a mat and set it down next to the bleachers. He then went and grabbed a ten pound weight ball and went over to the mat. He put his toes under the end of the bleachers and began doing sit ups.

"Mattias what are you doing out here? You never do sit-ups in weights. Is everything ok?" Zach asked walking up to Mattias.

"Ya everything is fine. I'm just changing things up a bit." Mattias replied without stopping his sit ups.

"Ok. But why did you change in the bathroom instead of the locker room today?" Zach asked confused.

"Like I said earlier I'm changing things up." Mattias replied in a no further questions tone.

Zach turned and went into the weight room. Mattias could hear the sounds of the guys using the various leg equipment in there. He could also hear some of the guys counting the reps as someone was benching. After doing sit-ups for half an hour Mattias moved the mat and got onto his back. Then he lifted his legs and began moving the weight ball back and forth from one leg across his stomach to the other leg. He did this for the rest of class. When Top called for everyone to go change Mattias was the first into the locker room. He grabbed his clothes and then went back into the bathroom and changed his clothes. Then he went into the locker room eyes to the floor and put his clothes back in his locker the walked back out of the locker room. He left the gym and went back to the halls to his locker to get ready for his fourth hours class. The bell rang signaling the end of third hour and Mattias grabbed his English books and went to class.

Mattias waked into class sat down and began reading the required sections for the day. He was so engrossed in the book that he didn't notice Garret and Jerry sit down by him and ask him why he was acting strange today. Top entered the classroom and walked over to Mattias.

"Hey Top what are you doing in here?" Jerry asked him.

"I have a note for Mattias from a fellow student." Top said setting the note down on the desk.

"Ya I have one as well." Said Ms. Baird setting another note on Mattias' desk.

Mattias pulled the other two notes from his pocket and handed all four to Jerry without looking away from his book. Jerry took the notes and read them all. That made five notes in total for Mattias so far that Jerry had read. He handed the four notes to Garret when he was done. the two were on the case of who was sending Mattias notes. Sadly for whoever it was that took the time to set all of this up Mattias was not reading any of them.

"Mattias you should read these." Garret said.

"Why should I? I have no desire to play this stupid game with whoever is doing this. I am perfectly content with doing my usual stuff after school today, and then next week baseball season starts and I will be occupied enough that I will have no need to play such games with someone who doesn't have the gumption to speak to me in person." Mattias replied closing his book as he finished the required reading for the day.

"Mattias whoever is doing this has been interested in you since freshmen year. They are telling you very thoughtful moments that have happened throughout the years. If they put this much effort into this stunt don't you think you should humor them and at least see where it ends up going?" Jerry asked.

"Well I don't want to because I am content with not dating anyone until college." Mattias replied.

"What are you going to do if the last note asks you to meet this person somewhere after school?" Garret asked.

"It's very simple I'm just not going to show up and they will realize just how dumb this whole thing was." Mattias replied bitterly.

"Are you ok dude?" Jerry asked concerned.

"Ya I'm perfectly fine. My best friend is uncomfortable with being anywhere near me in the locker room and doesn't want to share a room with me when we go on trips. On top of that someone is keeping themselves from joining the team because of me. How the fuck do you think I am Jerry?" Mattias blew up at Jerry.

"Holy shit dude. I'm sorry I didn't know that all of this was going on. Is there anything I can do to help?" Jerry responded.

"Ya you can get me kicked off the team by telling Top I touched you and you didn't like it." Mattias told Jerry almost in tears.

"No way dude. I wouldn't do that to you." Jerry replied.

"Mattias you need to talk to these guys and get this stuff off your chest. We can come with you for support if you want." Garret replied.

"No I'm just gonna deal with all of this my own way." Mattias told them.

"Ok if that's what you want then we will let you do things your way. But if you need to talk to anyone we will both be here for you bud." Jerry told Mattias speaking for both himself and Garret.

The bell rang and everyone went into the halls to put their stuff away in their lockers before leaving for lunch. Mattias got into his truck and just started driving not really knowing where he was trying to go. He was just going. He wanted to be alone right now and he knew if he went to the cafeteria he wouldn't be alone. And if he went home his dad would just bug him about school. So he got on the backroad and just kept going. When he finally looked at the clock he was ten minutes late for getting back to school. He flipped a bitch and hauled ass back to school. By the time he got there fifth period was twenty minutes from being over. He went into the main office and was told to sit down and wait for Top. So he did and he just stared at the ground. Top came in when the bell rang and signaled Mattias to come with him. The two went down the hallway and went into Top's office.

"So you show back up to school after lunch twenty minutes before fifth period comes to an end. Also at the beginning of fourth period I had Austin come and sign up to join the team. Garret and Jerry told me that you have been acting strange all day. It started first hour with those damn notes. By fourth hour you were upset enough that you asked Jerry to get you kicked off the team." Top told Mattias.

"Ya thanks for summing up my day so far Top." Mattias replied.

"What is going on Mattias?" Top asked.

"Top I can't do this anymore." Mattias said breaking down in front of his coach.

"What Mattias? What can't you do anymore bud? I need you to tell me so I can try to help you." Top said at a loss for what to do in this situation.

"My best friend is uncomfortable being around me and I had to hear it from his brother. I know the guys don't like having me on the team in the first place Top. I just wanna quit the team and fade into the background again. I don't like that no one wants to tell me what bothers them with me. I can't do it anymore Top." Mattias said fighting hard not to ball his eyes out in front of his coach.

"Ahh kid. Those guys are your closest friends. Trust me when I say no one on that team would want you off the team. You need to talk this stuff out with them. Nothing good can come of you holding it all inside. Trust me I know what I'm talking about. You might not see it but those guys look to you as a leader in school, on the field, and outside of school. You are helping those kids more than anyone else could possibly dream to. They don't care that you are gay just as much as I don't care." Top told him coming around his desk to sit next to Mattias.

"Top I can't talk to them about this kind of stuff. I never wanted to hurt any of them and without knowing it I have been hurting some of them on the team and some people who are too afraid of what I am to join the team." Mattias said finally crying.

"Come on kid. Austin wouldn't be afraid of you if he gave you a chance and got to know you better." Top told him putting. Hand on his shoulder.

The door to Top's office opened and the whole team came in followed by the principal.

"They are refusing to goto their next class until they can talk to Mattias." He told Top before he left the room.

"You guys now isn't the best time." Top told the team.

"With all due respect coach he needs to hear what we have to say." Garret said.

"Go ahead then." Top said.

"No one on this team wants you off of it ok?" Garret said.

"We have come to know you very well over the past few years and who you are doesn't bother any of us. We don't care if you look at us as we change. Hell if we cared we wouldn't change infront of eachother." Jerry said.

"And we sure as hell don't want you changing in a restroom during class and before practice and games." Ivan said.

"We are more than a team Mattias. We are a family. We want you with us not only so you are there for our random talks. We want you with us so we can be there if you need us." Zach said.

"You're not going to be forking out extra cash for a separate room either. I won't let you do that." Carlos said stepping forward.

"Now is there anyone in this room who thinks otherwise of anything that was said here today?" Carlos asked. No one replied. "Then it looks like you have nothing to worry about Mattias."

"You guys are all full of shit." Mattias replied."

That got a laugh out of everyone and got them to head to class. Garret stayed because well this was his next class.

"Here are your notes from whoever is doing this Mattias." Garret said handing Mattias six notes.

"You might want to goto your next class and get the next one." Top said.

"Fine if I have to." Mattias said getting up and heading to the English room to get the next note.

He grabbed the note and Ms. Baird told him to go to Top's office for the period. Mattias got into top's office sat down and started reading the notes. The first one was short and told him that he would have seven more notes to find throughout his day. All the notes after that explained specific events from freshmen year leading up to his junior year. The seventh note he had said the next and final note would contain a time and destination. He had no clue who the person behind it all could possibly be. But he had a feeling it would end in a request to go to the dance with whoever this fuck stick was. He shook his head at the thought of how much effort this person was putting into this trail of notes. He looked over at Garret and saw he was being stared at. Garret was also smiling.

"What Garret?" Mattias asked.

"Have you figured out who it is yet?" Garret asked back.

"No I have no clue whoever it is they are very ilusive." Mattias replied.

"Wow so Jerry and I figured this out before you did. That has got to be a first." Garret replied smiling.

"Just you wait, one day Mattias is gonna beat your ass for the shit you do." Top told him.

"Well whoever it is they didn't think this thought very well." Mattias stated.

"Why?" Top asked.

"I don't have a seventh period class." Mattias replied.

"Well then this should be interesting to see how you get the final note." Top replied.

The bell sounding the end of sixth period sounded. Mattias got his stuff together and headed out to the parking lot for his truck. He was tackled by Ivan who handed him a note. Then without so much as an explanation he ran to his next class. Mattias opened the note and read what was written. The note read 'Come to the field at eleven tonight'. Mattias was completely confused. It could be anyone in the entire school that didn't have a date to the dance. Yet he had a suspicious feeling that this was all some sort of joke Ivan was trying to pull on him.

The rest of the day went by with a few laughs as Mattias did tune ups on all of the team's vehicles. When Justin brought in his truck Mattias set to work changing ball joints and cross arms. When he was done with that he did a tune up and alignment. By the time he was finished with Justin's truck it was eight o'clock. The guys went out back to the field and practiced until ten. Then Mattias said his goodbyes and got into his truck and headed back to the school field. He was ready to solve this mystery and put an end to all the rumors floating around school. When he got to the field it was eleven fifteen. The field was dark but Mattias saw a figure standing on the pitchers mound. He approached the mound and before he could get close enough to see who it was he was greeted.

"I almost thought you weren't going to come." Said Carlos.

"is that you Carlos?" Mattias asked wanting to be sure.

"Ya it's me." Carlos replied.

"Are you the one responsible for the notes?" Mattias asked him.

"Ya that was me." Carlos told him.

"What is it all about?" Mattias asked.

"I wanted to know if you would go to the dance with me. I mean we both know you don't have anyone to go with yet." Carlos said bluntly.

"Are you asking me to go to the dance with you on Saturday?" Mattias asked dumbfounded.

"Yes, and if it goes well I was hoping you would be my boyfriend also." Carlos dropped the bombshell on Mattias.

"You are not gay Carlos." Mattias replied.

"Are you sure about that. Because last I checked I was." Carlos replied.

"You can't be gay." Mattias replied.

"And why not?" Carlos asked.

"Because the most popular guy in school has to be straight right?" Mattias replied questioningly.

"Well I'm gay so I guess not." Carlos replied.

"Then yes, I will go with you to the dance." Mattias replied.

"And you will be my boyfriend?" Carlos asked.

"We will just have to wait and see." Mattias replied.


	3. Stealing Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spring dance happens, Carlos and Mattias end up turning some heads. Baseball practice starts Monday and the team now has a plan to make a cutest couple in school out of their two friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work has been calling me in for overtime everyday. Sorry if it's slow going, I'm trying to wrap this up soon.

-Saturday-

Saturday rolled up on Mattias faster than he would have liked. He spent the whole day getting ready for the dance. He did a tune up on his truck, put a new air freshener in it, and cleaned it up inside and out. Then he went out and bought a bag of kit kats for Carlos. When eight o'clock pm rolled around Mattias Put on his neon light blue suit and slicked his hair back. Then he got in his truck and headed for Carlos' house. He was nervous, he had no idea how anyone would react at the dance to Mattias showing up as Carlos' date. It made him feel sick in the stomach and weak of the knees all at once. He couldn't help but keep wondering as to how long Carlos had known he was gay. He also wondered how long Carlos had been interested in him. It finally dawned on him that maybe that was why he had seen Carlos' ass so many times over the past couple of years. By the time he was done asking himself all these questions he pulled into Carlos' driveway and got out of the car to approach the door. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for it to be answered. Ivan was the one who came to answer the door. He was wearing a grey suit.

"Hey Mattias! You here for my brother?" Ivan teased Mattias with a smile.

"Well according to what happened Thursday night on the baseball field ya. I'm here to take your brother to the dance." Mattias replied nervously.

"I'm just messing with you Mattias. I know why you're here. He has been getting ready for a while now. He decided to go with the white suit. He is nervous as hell and wants tonight to go really well. It's something to do with how he doesn't want to ruin the friendship you two have built." Ivan told Mattias patting him on the back and leading him to sit on the couch in the living room.

"I trust you will take good care of my son tonight at the dance Mattias." Carlos' dad told Mattias.

"Yes sir I will take good care of him and bring him home safely." Mattias replied politely.

"No worries you guys can stay out as long as you want. Just be safe and have fun." Carlos' dad told Mattias.

"Alright if you say so sir." Mattias replied politely.

Ivan left the room and headed to the back of the house. Carlos' dad got up from his chair and went out to his truck to goto work for the night. This left Mattias all alone in the living room sitting on the couch twittling his thumbs. At eight thirty two Ivan came back into the living room with Isabel. Isabel was in a stunning silver dress.

"Wow Isabel you look beautiful." Mattias told her respectfully.

"Thank you. You look good tonight yourself. Not as good as Ivan but you still look good." Isabel teased Mattias.

"Ouch Isabel that somewhat hurts but not really because Ivan is better looking than I." Mattias said to Isabel making hints at Ivan with his eyes.

"Alright if you are done fucking me with your eyes we are gonna goto the dance now. See you and Carlos when you guys get there." Ivan said to Mattias as he lead Isabel out of the house and to his car.

Mattias turned red and Isabel started laughing. After they had left Mattias went and started looking at various pictures around the house. He saw plenty of pictures of Carlos, Ivan, and their older brother Serjio as they grew up throughout the years. The three played Football, Basketball, Soccer, and Baseball throughout the years. But when they reached high school they dropped soccer and went strictly Baseball. He picked up a picture of Carlos shirtless swimming in the ocean. He looked really happy. Probably taken at a time before he began struggling with who he truly was.

"I see you found the one picture of me shirtless." Carlos said as he walked into the room.

It was as if all other light faded away and Carlos was standing amidst a spotlight on the far side of the living room. He was messing with his cuffs trying to get them to button. His tie was a mess and it looked like he had just given up on the tie entirely and was satisfied going as he was. Yet to Mattias he was the most stunning guy he had ever seen. He looked really good in his white suit. His slender form molding with the suit just perfectly in the right areas.

"Wow." Was all Mattias could say to Carlos as he set the photo down.

"What? Did I leave my fly down? Is there a stain on my suit somewhere? What is it?" Carlos asked frantically.

"No nothing is wrong it's just. Well you look amazing." Mattias replied almost breathlessly.

"Uh... Thanks. You look rather amazing yourself." Carlos said turning slightly red and rubbing his neck. "I'm sorry but I'm not ready yet these damn cuffs are giving me hell and I'm just gonna take the tie off and go without one."

"Come here and let me help you with that." Mattias said gesturing for Carlos to come to him.

Carlos walked over to Mattias he had a flustered look about him. He was looking down at the ground as he walked. When he got to Mattias he kept looking down.

"Hey it's ok. I always have trouble with my cuffs. Besides ties are tough, it took me three years to learn how to tie one myself. Just let me do this for you and we will be on our way to the dance in no time flat." Mattias said buttoning up Carlos' left cuff.

"Thanks, I'm just really nervous and I know I am making a huge idiot out of myself. It's just I really want to make sure tonight is great. I at least want to walk away and be able to still be friends." Carlos said sadly.

"Carlos, sweet heart look at me. I think the world of you. You are the person I have had the biggest crush on for a few years now. I want to do whatever you want tonight. I'm more than happy that you even were comfortable and brave enough to ask me to the dance. So I'm gonna button your other cuff and do your tie then we will goto the dance and dance our hearts out. I want to be the guy that is here for you. I wanna be the guy that you go to when you need help with your tie." Mattias said taking Carlos' chin in his hand and lifting his head so they could look eachother in the eyes.

Carlos had a few tears in his eyes as Mattias got done telling him those things. Mattias wiped them away and pulled Carlos into a tight hug. At first Mattias was the only one hugging and he thought he went too far. Then Carlos snuggled his face into Mattias' chest closer and hugged Mattias back. They stayed like this for a while before Mattias pulled apart and buttoned the right cuff for Carlos. Then he undid Carlos' tie and redid it snugging it up at the end.

"Thanks Mattias. You didn't have to say all that stuff though." Carlos said when it was done and the two were heading to Mattias' truck.

"Carlos I meant everything that I said. Now there is no pressure for tonight. We are gonna go to the dance and have fun. You're dad wants us to have fun and be safe. I plan on doing both." Mattias told Carlos as they got into his truck.

"Ok let's see where things go tonight. I am gonna make the best out of this." Carlos said.

Mattias started his El Camino and pulled out of the driveway and onto the street heading for the school gym. The song playing on the radio was Bad Moon Arising by Creadance Clearwater Revival. Mattias turned it up a little bit and was tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel.

"This is your favorite song right?" Carlos asked Mattias.

"Ya. Sorry we can change the station and listen to anything you want. Tonight is all about what you want Carlos. I want to make this the best night it can possibly be." Mattias said turning the radio back down.

"I'm fine with this station. I'm happy enough just being here with you." Carlos replied with a shy smile at Mattias.

"Come on Carlos you don't have to be embarrassed or shy around me. We have known eachother for years. You were the first person I told I was gay. What we have is a special connection. Nothing will ever change that. But if something does it will be to better that connection not sever it." Mattias told Carlos.

"Ok fine I'm sorry it's just I've never been this nervous in my life. I don't know how people are going to react to us showing up as a couple." Carlos said.

"Well look at it like this. What people think doesn't matter. What matters is what you think and what I think. I want you to be happy. Besides Ivan already knows and he is going to support us. Plus the team is going to flip out that we didn't tell them sooner." Mattias told Carlos honestly.

"We are never gonna hear the end of this now. The guys might just kill us when they spot us tonight." Carlos replied.

"Do you want me to take you home and avoid the dance altogether?" Mattias asked Carlos half jokingly.

"No this is something I am gonna have to face eventually, and I can't think of anyone better to do this with." Carlos replied.

They drove the rest of the way to the gym in silence. When they pulled into the parking lot they saw that Ivan and Isabel were standing curbside with a sign that said 'Carlos and Mattias! The two to watch tonight!'. Carlos buried his face in his hands and turned red. Mattias shook his head. He parked the truck and turned it off. Then he got out and went over to the passenger door and opened it for Carlos. He didn't get out. So Mattias grabbed him under the legs and behind the back and lifted him from the truck. He shut the door with his foot and walked over to Ivan and Isabel. They started laughing and Carlos finally wanted down when they got to Ivan. Mattias let him down and wrapped his right arm around Carlos.

"Quite the entrance you two." Ivan said smiling wide.

"You haven't seen anything yet little bro." Carlos said looking from Mattias to Ivan.

"Well then by all means let us not wait any longer. The dance isn't going to wait all night for you two." Ivan replied with a smirk that had the meaning of 'prove it' behind it.

The four went into the gym to join the dance with everyone else. Ivan and Isabel had already paid their entrance fee and had the stamps on their hands to prove it. Mattias paid the twenty dollars for him and Carlos to get into the dance. They got their hands stamped and went in. The dance was already under way and almost everyone in school was there. Mattias scanned the crowd and found the guys from the team were all in one corner of the gym with their dates. Ivan and Isabel were making their way over to the team. So far so good no one had noticed that Mattias was at the dance yet. A few people had noticed Carlos and greeted him as he made his way over to the team. Mattias was hanging back a little ways to give Carlos the opportunity to face the team himself before Mattias got over there. Mattias ended up stopping in his tracks when he caught sight of one of the chaperones for the dance. It was Coach Top. He was standing by the DJ having a conversation with him and he looked right at Mattias and smiled. Carlos had made his way over to the team by this time and was none the wiser. By the time he realized Mattias wasn't with him he was already being greeted by the team.

"Hey Carlos who is the lucky girl that got to come with you?" Garret asked as Carlos turned back to face the team with a quizzical look on his face.

"Is everything alright?" Chris asked concerned.

"You kinda look like you either saw a ghost or your date ditched you on the walk across the gym." Jerry said.

"Umm... Well ya I'm fine. It's just I was walking over here with my date but I guess I lost track of them." Carlos said confused.

"Well that's ok we can help you find her." Walker said offering a drink to Carlos.

"No it's ok they can find their way to us. I need to talk to you guys about something first." Carlos said uneasily.

"Alright, you can say anything to us Carlos. We are a team and we support each other." Corbin said speaking for the entire team.

"Well ok let's start with a simple question." Carlos said testing the waters so to speak.

"Alright." Jose said.

"Come on Carlos we are waiting just spit it out already." Zach said. Jacob nodded in agreement.

"Umm... Well how do I go about saying this?" Carlos started shakily.

"Carlos you can just come out with it. These guys can take it." Ivan told him.

"How would you guys handle it if Mattias showed up to the dance?" Carlos asked masking his fear as best he could. Ivan gave him a squeeze on the shoulder.

"I personally would freak the fuck out. He never comes to any of these dances. But if he were to come I sure it would be alone and that's fine too." Payton told Carlos.

"Payton I'm sure he is asking how we would react to Mattias coming to the dance with a guy." Jacob said bluntly.

"Oh well in that case I would probably pass the fuck out. Then when I woke back up I would hit Mattias for not telling us he was seeing someone." Payton replied.

"I would give him his space and then bomb rush him after the dance with questions." Alyssa said.

"I think all of us would bomb rush him with questions if we could control our giggles." Tia said smiling.

"Oh ya he wouldn't live down tonight for his entire life." Lateasha said.

Jacob gave Lateasha a hug when she was done talking. Garret smiled and shook his head at Tia. Zach nodded in agreement to what Alyssa had said. Alexis, Angelica, Abby, and Jordan murmured their agreement with what was being said. Ivan and Isabel smiled knowingly at what was taking place.

"Did you guys notice that someone got Top to chaperone the dance?" Garret said taking the chance now that no one was talking anymore and they were all there.

"Ok something has got to be up if Top is here." Payton said.

"Payton did you come to the dance alone?" Jacob asked.

"Yes, yes I came alone to the dance." Payton replied to Jacob.

"Copy cat." Jose said glaring at Payton.

The entire team started laughing. It eased the mood enough to give Carlos the courage to say what he needed to say. He waited for everyone to stop laughing. Just as it started to settle down and Carlos was about to speak everyone stared in shock past Carlos to someone behind him. Carlos closed his eyes, took a deep breath, turned around, and opened his eyes. He saw what he wasn't ready to see yet. Mattias was coming towards them all. He had a smile on his face until his eyes met Carlos scared ones. Then his entire expression changed from one of happiness to one of concern. He quickened his pace and was heading straight for Carlos. Carlos caught Ivan signaling for Mattias to calm down out of the corner of his eye. Mattias adjusted his walk and passed by Carlos coming to a stop infront of Payton.

"Ok something is definetly wrong here. Payton is alone at a dance and I showed up." Mattias said with a straight face.

Everyone broke out into laughter. Payton was laughing the hardest.

"Ok so let me get this straight. Payton is alone at a dance for once. Top is chaperoning. Mattias showed up. Is the world ending?" Walker stated.

"No it's not coming to an end. I just had a little better of a reason to come to the dance rather than stay at home and try to beat my benching record." Mattias told the group as a whole.

"Ok now that we are all here. What did you want to talk to us about Carlos?" Garret asked.

"Well umm... I wanted to umm.... Oh shit this was easier in my head on the walk over to you guys." Carlos said.

"Carlos you don't have to tell them anything you are not ready for." Ivan told his brother.

The entire team looked from Ivan to Carlos curiously. Now thier interest was piqued and they were gonna want to know. Carlos looked as though his whole world was coming down around him. He was getting flustered and had some liquid blurring his vision. His throat was closing and he couldn't speak. Ivan put his hand on Carlos shoulder and rubbed his thumb back and forth.

"Guys what I need to tell you is that...." Carlos started shakily before he was cut off by Mattias.

"You don't have to tell us anything if you aren't ready Carlos. We will still be there for you when you are ready to tell us." Mattias told Carlos.

"No Mattias I need to get this off my chest now before it destroys me." Carlos told Mattias with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Carlos maybe you should sit down for a minute. Collect yourself and tell us when you're ready. Or we can just talk about this later and let you enjoy the dance tonight." Jerry told Carlos.

"Guys Mattias is my date." Carlos said the tears still rolling down his cheeks.

The guys stared at him in shock no one moving or saying anything. Mattias broke the frozen time area affect when he went over and wrapped his arms around Carlos. Carlos buried his face in Mattias' chest and cried quietly. The fear that he built up himself had taken its toll and he was now breaking down because of it. The group just stood there in awkward silence and let Carlos calm down. After a while Top came over to the group because he was informed that something was happening in that corner of the gym.

"What happened?" Top asked as he got to the group and saw Carlos in Mattias' arms crying.

"Nothing Top. Carlos just got a big burden off of his chest." Garret told Top still in shock.

"Carlos are you ok? I know this is something that has been eating away at you." Top said to Carlos.

"Ya I'm fine coach." Carlos said finally calmed down enough to talk.

Mattias let go of his hold on Carlos as Carlos started to pull away. He looked sheepishly at the team. To his surprise he saw tears and smiles from everyone. It confused him and he wiped his eyes.

"Why are you guys crying and smiling?" Carlos asked the them all confused.

"Carlos they are happy for you." Top told him putting his hand on Carlos' shoulder.

"I think that I am speaking for all of us when I say this. We couldn't be happier for you. Plus it's an honor that you feel safe enough with all of us to come out to us all." Walker said being the first one from the team to break the silence.

Everyone on the team either nodded or stated thier agreement to the statement made. Carlos got a bunch of hugs and pats on the back from everyone. The group went out onto the dance floor and started to celebrate the good news they had received tonight.

"So are you happy now?" Mattias asked Carlos as they got to the dance floor.

"Yes I'm happy. I was happy when you said yes." Carlos told Mattias.

All around the two of them the group was dancing. Tonight would be one that everyone would remember for a long time to come. As the dance kept going along more and more kids from school realized that Carlos and Mattias had come to the dance together. Being such a small community everyone knew everyone. So it was easy to say that no one at school would have a problem with the two coming to the dance together and no one would try and bully Carlos for being gay. It was strange how that worked but that was just the way that things were. As the night drew closer to an end for the dance Carlos and Mattias grew closer and closer together. Time came for the last slow dance of the night. Mattias drew Carlos close to him and the two swayed in eachothers arms as the song and dance came to an end.

"Who wants to go out for a really late dinner now?" Corbin asked.

"Well that depends." Mattias replied.

"Depends on what?" Corbin asked him.

"Will there be milkshakes?" Mattias asked him.

"I'm sure we can find a way to make that work out." Corbin said smiling. The rest of the group laughed at Mattias' comment.

With that settled the entire group went to the parking lot and got into thier vehicles and followed Corbin in a convoy to the local diner. When they got thier they took up half the place just by themselves. No one took the time to think that they were in suit before they ordered. Milkshakes for everyone and it was determined that the bill was going to be split three ways. The three ways being Corbin, Ivan, and Garret. That being only because Ivan and Garret told Corbin it was his idea so he had to pay and they would help out. Then when Mattias offered to pitch in he got a lot of napkins thrown at him. Carlos had ordered a chocolate milkshake and a bacon cheeseburger. Mattias ordered a cookies and cream milkshake and a cheeseburger. Ivan, Isable, Chris, and Jordan ordered vanilla milkshakes and cheeseburgers. Jose, Payton, Garret, Tia, Jerry, and Angelica ordered chocolate milkshakes and bacon cheeseburgers. Jacob, Lateasha, Corbin, Alexis, Zach, and Alyssa ordered strawberry milkshakes and bacon cheeseburgers. While they waited for burgers everyone joked around about the school's biggest secret that was Carlos. Carlos made Mattias try his milkshake and Mattias returned the favor.

When the burgers finally got out to the group the milkshakes were empty. Garret got another round for everyone in the group. Carlos took a bite of his burger and ketchup splattered the front of his suit. Mattias grabbed napkins and started cleaning up the mess. It deffinetly was going to leave a stain on Carlos' suit. Luckily for both of them Mattias' mom could get a stain out of anything. Mattias promised to have his mom get the stain out and Carlos just laughed at him.

"So does this mean we should expect seeing the two of you together more often around school?" Jerry asked the two of them.

"Well I'm not sure. I was only asked to the dance. So as far as I know this is a one night stand. Well so to speak. I think it's so to speak." Mattias replied looking at Carlos.

"Well I am just using you for your body after all." Carlos said smiling at Mattias.

The group broke out into laughter at Carlos' comment. Mattias acted like he was hurt but he really wasn't.

"So I guess this means we should get going so you can get on with your one night stand and get the best out of my body before we part ways." Mattias said to Carlos.

"No I don't want a one night stand and I don't want to just use you for your body and part ways. I want this to continue after tonight." Carlos told Mattias.

"Hey everyone shut up we are having a moment over here!" Ivan yelled over the rumble of the groups voices. Luckily they were the only ones in the diner so instead of glares they got chuckles.

"Well go on Carlos I'm waiting." Mattias said poking Carlos in the side.

"Will you go out with me Mattias?" Carlos asked looking Mattias deep in the eyes.

"Well I'm not sure I will have to check my schedule." Mattias said taking out his phone and going to his calendar.

"Are you kidding me right now Mattias?" Garret asked throwing his fry basket at Mattias.

Mattias dodged the fry basket and started laughing before he said. "Come on guys we all know that I'm going to say yes." He turned to Carlos and said as politely as he could. "Yes Carlos I will go out with you."

Carlos pulled Mattias into a hug as the group broke out into cheers all around them. Carlos turned a little red at the cheers around him. Everyone finished up with their food and milkshakes then parted ways for the night promising to see eachother again Monday at school. Mattias and Carlos followed Ivan and Isabel home. Ivan kept driving past his and Carlos' house to take Isabel home. Mattias pulled into the driveway and got out of his truck. He went around and opened the door letting Carlos out. They walked up the steps and onto the front porch coming to a stop at the door.

"Thanks for tonight I had a great time." Carlos said.

"Thank you for asking me to go, and thank you for taking the steps to start this relationship." Mattias said.

Carlos smiled at him and turned to go into the house. Mattias turned to go back to his truck. He was debating something in his head. Then he just said "Ah fuck it." and turned around grabbed Carlos' arm turned him around and pulled him into a kiss. It was a sweet first kiss and lasted about thirty seconds. When they pulled apart they were both a little red and smiling.

"Well if I had known this was going to happen I would have been prepared for it a little better." Carlos said rubbing his neck.

"It was a good first date of sorts and as far as first kisses go that was my first one...." Mattias said looking down.

"Wait that was your first kiss? Like the first one ever?" Carlos asked Mattias shocked.

"Ya that was my first one." Mattias told Carlos turning brighter red.

"I thought you had dated a few guys before me?" Carlos asked Mattias.

"No you will be the first guy I've dated." Mattias told him.

"So how do you know you're gay if you've never had a first kiss and never dated a guy?" Carlos asked him curiously.

"Well because I don't find girls attractive. Plus I get a hardon when I look at most guys. It doesn't matter if they have clothes on or not, I still get a hardon." Mattias explained to Carlos.

"So have you ever done anything with anyone?" Carlos asked him feeling awkward for asking. 

"Umm... Well ya I've had sex before. I used protection and I got tested later. My medical history is clean I promise you." Mattias assured him.

"Ok, I assume it was with a guy. Sorry for the questions I'm just getting to know you more." Carlos told him.

"No worries I'm ok with the questions. And yes it was with a guy. It was last year at the regional baseball game with the left fielder from Indian Springs." Mattias told him.

"Wow he is hot. Well I'm sure you know that. Anyways I guess I should let you get home before it gets too late. See you at school Monday." Carlos said turning to go inside.

"Don't forget that we have practice starting next week. First game is at the Laughlin tournament a week from Friday." Mattias said walking back to his truck.

Mattias got into his truck waved a final goodbye to Carlos and pulled out of the driveway. He drove home the long way and passed Ivan on the street. The two exchanged a nod. When Mattias finally got home it was two o'clock in the morning on Sunday. His dad was waiting for him on the porch and the light was still on in the kitchen meaning his mom was awake as well. He pulled into the driveway parked his truck shut it off and got out. He walked up the steps to the porch and sat down next to his dad.

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" His dad asked him.

"Yes, it went better than I thought it would." Mattias told him.

"That's good. How did the guys react to Carlos taking you to the dance?" His dad replied.

"They were happy and shocked. But in the end everyone made sure we had a good time. We went to the diner after the dance for burgers and milkshakes." Mattias said.

"Well I'm glad you had fun. I'm off to bed because I have work at six but your mother wants to talk to you." His dad said getting up and heading inside.

Mattias got up and went inside after his dad. He went into the kitchen and sat down at the table across from his mom who was doing a crossword puzzle. When she saw him sit down she stopped doing her crossword and smiled at him. She was so very proud of him for goin to the dance and on top of that for going with Carlos.

"I trust that you two enjoyed yourselves. I will get the details from your father but what I really want to know is if I should expect to see more of this boy now." His mom shot right into it.

"Yes mom. We are a couple now so you can expect to see more of Carlos now." Mattias told his mom smiling.

She got up and went around the table to hug her son close to her. She was excited for him.

"Alright well we should both be off to bed now. Too much later and we will be awake to see your dad off for work." His mom said with a small laugh as she headed off to bed.

Mattias took his moms advice and went straight to bed.

-Monday-

Saturday was a huge success as far as everyone was concerned. Year book was complying thier it's of candidates for cutest couple. Little to Mattias' and Carlos' knowledge the group was dead set on getting Carlos and Mattias to win. Mattias showed up to school at six thirty am like he usually did. School didn't start until seven thirty am but the halls were open to students for study and clubs. Mattias was the president of the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) and held regular meetings Monday thru Thursday twice a day. The first meeting was always six thirty am to seven fifteen am. The second meeting was after school from four pm to five thirty pm. Since they had lights on the baseball and softball fields practice was from five fourty five pm until seven fourty five pm every day Monday thru Friday. The advisor for the club was Mr. Gorrun. The meetings usually involved a movie that would take up both meeting for the day. Mattias was one of six people who were part of the GSA. Mattias used the club as an outreach program for possible LGBTQ students who needed a support group. The other five kids in the club were Justin, Alyssa, Zach, Alexis, and Corbin. All of which were straight but they wanted to help Mattias try to help the school. Today was a strange day however. When he entered the halls he saw way more kids than usual. By way more kids he meant he saw everyone from the group that he went to prom and the diner with.

"What's going on guys?" Mattias asked everyone.

"We are here for the meeting." Payton said.

"So is there any formal sign up we need to do or anything?" Isabel asked.

"Umm... Ya I have the paperwork in my locker. Just go to Mr. Gorrun's room and I will bring the papers in a minute." Mattias told the group as he headed for his locker.

Mattias entered his combination and opened the door to his locker. He put his backpack in his locker and grabbed the big folder titled GSA from his locker. When he shut his locker and turned to walk to the classroom he stopped dead in his tracks spotting Carlos walking towards him. Carlos was wearing light blue skinny jeans, a white V-neck t-shirt, and white vans. He looked great today.

"Hey sweetheart you're here awfully early today." Mattias told Carlos as he walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"I came for the club meeting. If you're part of the club I wanna be here to support you as well. Plus I think it is time for me to join the GSA." Carlos told him huggin him back.

"Well then we better get to the classroom and start the paperwork along with all the other new club members." Mattias told Carlos taking him by the hand and leading him to Mr. Gorrun's room.

The two of them walked hand in hand down the hallway to Mr. Gorrun's room. When they reached the room they saw all their friends gathered around in chairs in a semi circle infront of the board. They went into the room and were greeted by a few whistles, and some clapping. Mattias smiled and kept walking towards the board. Carlos turned red, smiled, and looked at the floor. Mattias wrapped his left arm around Carlos and pulled him closer giving him a squeeze. Then he let go and watched Carlos walk over to an open chair between Garret and Jerry but infront of Chris. After Carlos had sat down Mattias started handing out the forms to everyone. He then went to the board and started writing bullet points for what they woulld need to put down on the forms.

"Alright I'm just going to need a little bit of information from all of you on these forms. First off I need everyone's full legal name and any nickname you might want to be called by. Secondly I will need to know what class you are in, freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. Thirdly I will need a list of what sports you participate in, wether you're an athlete or a manager. Finally I will need a list of clubs you participate in other than the GSA." Mattias gave the group the quick run down as he was writing the bullet points.

"So you don't want us to put down our sexuality?" Garret asked.

"No I don't need you to nor is it legal for me to have that kind of information on record." Mattias responded to Garret without looking away from the board.

"So you also wouldn't need to know who we are in a relationship with either then would you?" Corbin asked smiling.

"No I wouldn't." Mattias said throwing a dry erase marker at Corbin.

"So what do we do when we have finished filling out the form?" Jacob asked.

"Well you can give the form to me and when everyone is done we will go over what the GSA is exactly. Then we will discuss what you want to do as a group. Normally we just watch movies and discuss what we saw that we don't see out in the real world." Mattias told Jacob.

"So that's all you guys really do in here? Watch movies and discuss them?" Jacob asked.

"Ya we didn't have the numbers to do any other activities. By the school handbook a club has to have ten members before it can submit any activity requests to the student council or the principal." Mattias informed everyone in the group.

"Well we have more than ten now. What activities can we do as a club?" Jerry pointed out.

"Just work on finishing the form and we will get to that and any other questions later.

The group worked on their forms and everyone had them finished within ten minutes. Mattias gathered them all and filed them away in the section marked active members in his folder. Once he was finished he set to work explaining that the entire goal of the GSA was to show closeted LGBTQ teens that there was a safe environment for them to express themselves in. Also it was a group that acted as a support group for anyone who might need them. They reached out to more than just the queer teens in school. They helped with depression and overall shyness.

"Wow, was this group around when you were trying to figure stuff out on your own Mattias?" Zach asked him curiously.

"No this group wasn't around back then but I did have a few teachers within the school who helped me through the rough spots. Without them I probably would have committed suicide and not be here today to talk with all of you. Those very same teachers sometimes come into the room and talk with the club about whatever is on our minds that day from time to time. Mr. Gorrun just happens to be the one that will be with the group always unless his is not on campus that day. In the event he is not on campus for any reason Coach Top stands in for him." Mattias told the group.

"Who are all the teachers that support the GSA?" Payton asked curiously.

"Well we have Mr. Gorrun, Coach Top, Coach Mestas, and Willy." Mattias replied.

"Willy!!!" The group exclaimed unanimously.

"Yep everyone's favorite Maintenace supervisor slash bus driver is one of our supporters." Mattias told the group with a smile on his face.

"Did someone call me?" Willy asked poking his head into the room and smiling.

"We were just discussing the people who support the GSA Willy." Mattias explained to him.

"Yep, and a proud supporter if I might add. We need to support not degrade the LGBTQ community and if that means we need a club like this in the school then by god I'm gonna be part of it." Willy replied.

"So did you know the school now has two openly gay guys?" Justin asked Willy.

"Well last I checked there was just Mattias. So who is the guy who left the closet so to speak?" Willy asked Justin.

"Well that would be me Willy." Carlos said standing up.

"Well that's great! Congratulations Carlos! Is everyone treating you alright?" Willy responded to Carlos excitedly.

"Thank you Willy. Ya everyone is treating me good so far." Carlos told Willy honestly.

"Well that's good. Stick by Mattias and no one will give you any trouble. But if they do you come find me alright?" Willy told Carlos.

"Don't worry I will Willy. Besides Mattias and I are kind of an item now." Carlos told Willy.

"Well I'll be darned! Talk about a power couple!" Willy exclaimed happily chuckling.

"See I told you that these two would be a shoe in for winning the cutest couple spot in the year book." Corbin told the group.

"No one disagreed with you Corbin. Infact we all said that it would be a great idea to work on a campaign to make them the cutest couple in school." Jacob told Corbin in response to his outburst.

"Well I'm just trying to make a point here is all." Corbin said to Jacob.

"We get the point. Now let's figure out what we are gonna do as a club after school today." Chris said.

"Alright I will leave all of you to your meeting. Let me know if you guys get approved on a field trip so I can put in to be the driver." Willy said leaving the room.

"Ok so what can we do for a field trip? I wanna go on a field trip." Alyssa said.

"Well we can get a field trip to the bowling alley over in Tonopah. Or we could see about a long field trip to Vegas or Reno. It's really up to you guys and what the principal decides to allow us to do." Mattias told the group.

"Ok let's start it off with the bowling alley over in Tonopah." Garret suggested.

"Ok all in favor say 'Aye'" Mattias told the group.

It was unanimous. Everyone agreed that the first official field trip was to be at the bowling alley in Tonopah. Mattias wrote up the proposal and got Mr. Gorrun to sign it. He then set the proposal aside for later when he got a chance to hand it to the principal. The group agreed to end the meeting early so they could get the proposal into the principal. Mattias headed straight for the office and handed the paper to the principal. He murmured something about looking it over and getting it back to him later. Mattias thanked him and went out into the hall and over to his locker.

"So are you ready for practice after school today?" Carlos asked Mattias as he approached his locker.

"Ya I'm ready I look forward to baseball every year. It's my favorite sport and my favorite time of year." Mattias told Carlos excitedly, he had a sparkle in his eyes as he talked about baseball.

"Is it gonna be weird with the two of us being a couple and changing in the locker room infront of everyone?" Carlos asked Mattias.

"No it is gonna be the same as it always has been. No one is gonna want us to change somewhere else now just because we are a gay couple." Mattias told him.

The bell rang signaling the begining of the school day. Mattias gave Carlos a hug and the two parted ways. Mattias went to math class and Carlos went to anatomy. The day would continue to drag on as it usually did until third period when the two had gym class together. They met at Mattias' locker and then walked to the gym together hand in hand. When they reached the locker room they let go of eachother's hands and opened their gym lockers to get their clothes and proceed to change. When the rest of the guys got into the locker room no one made a fuss over Mattias and Carlos changing with them. No one cared, they knew the two well enough to know that nothing was going to happen sexually with this many people around. Besides that they all knew Mattias wouldn't do anything unless Carlos wanted to. Carlos on the other hand was holding out until marriage. He just never thought that he would be marrying a guy. Kinda funny how that all worked out.

"So what do you wanna do for lunch today?" Carlos asked Mattias casually.

"I was gonna go home and make a sandwich. Unless you have other plans of course." Mattias told Carlos.

"Well I was hoping you would come to my house for lunch so you could have a chat with my dad and be smothered by my mom. You know so I'm at least not the only one being badgered." Carlos replied to Mattias hopefully.

"Ok so it looks like I'm going home with you then for lunch." Mattias told Carlos settling the matter at hand.

"Hey I'm gonna be there as well Mattias." Ivan said pretending to be hurt.

"I'm sorry but I'm not dating you Ivan. If I was then Carlos would be the one throwing a fit, not you." Mattias responded to Ivan with a smile on his face.

"Ok but I'm just gonna be there so I can see what happens. I don't want to miss how my parents treat you when you go from being the long time best friend to being the new boyfriend of my newly openly gay brother. It sounds like fun." Ivan replied to Mattias smiling.

With that the guys in the locker room started busting up laughing. Mattias shook his head smiling and went out into the gym to start running his laps. Before he even finished his first lap Carlos was out starting to run his and caught up with Mattias. The two ran their ten laps together side by side. The rest of the class trickled out as the two were running laps. When's the two had finished everyone in class were running their laps. Carlos and Mattias went into the weight room to start their workout routine. Mattias was going to some squat lifting. Carlos was doing pull ups today. Mattias put on the brace and went over to the squat station. He put the shoulder mounts on and attached the five hundred pound barbell to it. Then he went to work on his squats. His goal was fourty squats for the day, if he made his goal he would be satisfied, if he beat his goal he would be very happy. Carlos on the other hand had a goal of doing fifty two handed pull ups, twenty five right handed pull ups, and twenty five left handed pull ups.

"Ok something has got to be off about today." Chris said when he got into the weight room.

"Why?" Corbin asked him.

"Because Mattias is doing leg day and Carlos is doing arm day." Chris told him.

"Ok what's wrong with that?" Corbin asked him.

"The whole class is supposed to be on the same schedule. Now half the class is gonna have leg day and the other half have arm day. Plus we have practice after school today. We are all gonna be screwed." Chris told him.

"Oh well shit happens." Jacob said walking past Chris.

The rest of gym class that day went rather smoothly. No one dropped any of the weights and no one over exerted themselves or got hurt in any way. So all in all it was another good day. Carlos met his goal. Mattias beat his goal and did one hundred squats. Chris had Corbin, Zach, and Payton sit on the leg press while he used it. He ended up leg pressing about four hundred pounds give or take a few pounds. Mattias, Garret, and Jerry went to English class. Carlos went to history class. Ivan, Chris, and Walker went to science class. Corbin, Jacob, Zach, Payton, and Jose went to math class.

"So is practice gonna be a challenge for you today Mattias?" Garret asked as they sat down in English class.

"Nope." Mattias replied.

"What do you mean 'nope'?" Jerry asked.

"It's not like it will be any different than the past few years have been." Mattias told them.

"Umm... Ya it will. You're kind of dating our star pitcher now." Garret told him as if he didn't already know.

"So I've stared at him on the mound and at bat for a few years now. Nothing is gonna be new. I'm not letting this relationship affect my game." Mattias told them.

"Ok so if he gets hurt at a game or during practice you promise to not go ape shit?" Garret asked Mattias.

"You guys know me very well. You know that some how the team gets in a fight at every game we play. Yes usually I'm the first one from our side to throw a punch. But some ones mouth always gets us in trouble or the other team are fucking bastards and we fight em anyways." Mattias told the two of them.

"But it's gonna be worse if Carlos gets hurt during a game." Jerry said.

"The fucker who hurts Carlos is probably gonna fucking die." Mattias told them a little to loud.

"Well some one is a little protective of their man." Justin said from the back of the room causing the whole class to laugh.

"What can I say I have a little bit of violence in my blood." Mattias told them all.

"Ya it doesn't help that you're half Russian and half Irish." Garret said.

"That just means I have to avoid bars and alcohol." Mattias told Garret.

The rest of English class was silent because they were given a test on the Great Gatsby. Mattias was bored out of his mind during tests. When the bell finally rang signaling the end of fourth period and the start of lunch he shot out of his chair. He turned in his test and went out the door into the hallway headed for his locker to put his stuff away. He was met at his locker by Carlos and Ivan. He put his stuff away in his locker then went out to the parking lot and piled into Carlos' truck. Carlos drove the three of them to his and Ivan's house for lunch. When they pulled into the driveway they could see their parents on the porch. Mattias let out a sigh.

"Well looks like the questions are going to start as soon as we get out of the truck." Ivan said to Mattias.

"Ya I guess they will." Mattias replied getting out of the truck after Ivan did.

Caros and Ivan walked up the path to the porch, climbed the steps and went into the house. Their mom followed the two inside saying something about how she had made lunch for everyone. Mattias found himself alone on the porch with their dad. He didn't look angry or like he wanted to strike the fear of God into Mattias or anything he just looked like he was thinking. Mattias waited patiently for him to speak.

"I like you Mattias, you're a good kid. All I need you to know is that if you hurt my boy I will hurt you. Understand?" Carlos' dad told Mattias.

"Don't worry sir I would never do anything to hurt Carlos." Mattias told him reassuringly.

"Well good then. Now let's go have some of this lunch my wife has made for you boys. I'm not the one you will have to fear if you don't eat her food." Carlos' father said as they went into the house.

Carlos' mom had made an over abundance of fajitas and tamales. Ivan and Carlos were already eating when Mattias got over to them. Carlos' mom gestured for him to sit as she handed him a heaping plate of food.

"I don't want you going hungry today Mattias. You boys have practice after school and you can't practice on an empty stomach." Carlos' mom said.

"Thank you ma'am I'm very grateful for your hospitality." Mattias told her in return.

"I never would have thought my brother would be dating his long time best friend." Ivan said throwing out the invitation to commence with the awkward conversation.

"Ivan leave Mattias and your brother alone." Carlos' dad scolded Ivan.

"Ok fine." Ivan said looking down at his plate.

Mattias was in the middle of eating and trying not to laugh when he felt a hand on his knee. He gave a slight jolt at the touch. He stiffened up and froze in his position of getting ready to eat a fajita. He did a sideways glance at Carlos without moving his head. Carlos was smiling while he chewed his food. Mattias went ahead and started eating still feeling uncomfortable that his boyfriend's hand was on his knee while they were eating lunch at his house with his parents. After a while they were all done eating and it was time for the three to go back to school.

They got back to school and went their separate ways for class. When seventh period rolled around Mattias was told to go get the equipment out and drag the field. It took him all period to finish his job. When the final bell rang he went to the locker room in the gym and waited for Coach Top to get there to start handing out the uniforms. Everyone already had their White jersey with black pinstripes that had their last names on the back. They just needed the white game pants with black pinstripes, the black jersey, the grey game pants, and the practice pants. The hat was the same old black and grey hat they had used for the last two years. Top got to the locker room and unlocked the coaches office. Mattias went in and got the uniforms ready to hand out. Everyone went through and got their uniforms along with the belt. Once everyone on the team had their uniforms Top had them all gather around for the new requirements of after practice routines.

"Ok so the NIAA has made it mandatory that all athletes shower after practice before going home. I understand that we have two gay players on the team and you will have to figure out how to make this work." Coach Top told the team.

The team all looked at Mattias and Carlos. Then after a moment of silence Mattias spoke up.

"Don't worry Carlos and I can either shower first or last. You guys decide." Mattias told them.

"No you guys are going to shower with us. We don't want to alienate you guys." Corbin told him.

The rest of the team nodded in agreement with Corbin. It wasn't just a ya sure lets go with that nod. It was a end of discussion no alternative needed nod. With that the team changed into their practice pants, put on their cleats, grabbed their gloves, and headed out to the field. They were gonna do catching drills for two hours and then fielding for two more hours. Carlos and Mattias did the catching drills together. It was easy for both of them and they enjoyed tossing random pitches back and forth. When it came time for fielding Carlos went to the pitchers mound and Mattias went to right field. After an hour and a half of the same fielding drills Corbin and Jacob started to jab at Mattias.

"Mattias! Come on focus!" Jacob yelled at him from short stop.

"What the fuck Jacob? I'm fucking focusing damn you!" Mattias yelled back.

"Ya but focusing on Carlos' ass is not what you need to be focused on Mattias!" Corbin yelled from center field.

"I'm not focused on his ass you fucking faggot!" Mattias yelled at him.

"Hey not cool man! Never use that evil word!" Top yelled at him from home plate.

"Besides its not a bad thing to stare at my ass! It is damn fine!" Carlos Yelled to Mattias.

Practice came to an end and the team returned to the locker room to hit the showers. Carlos and Mattias showered under the same shower head. Showing true restraint by not touching eachothers naked bodies. Many of the guys kept sneaking glances at Carlos and Mattias. Carlos looked to the other side of the showers and nudged Mattias in the ribs. Mattias looked in the direction Carlos was looking and he saw Corbin and Jacob sharing a shower head on the other side of the showers.

The team finished up in the showers and went out to a house party at Chris' house. They partied hard and long into the night. Mattias woke up the next day with a hangover on the floor in the kitchen. He went around the house checking on everyone Carlos was asleep on the floor by the fridge. Chris and Garrett were asleep on the couches in the living room. Ivan was asleep in the recliner. Jose was asleep sitting on the floor against the wall. Payton was asleep in the bathtub. Walker was asleep in the hall on the floor. Zach was nowhere to be seen, probably asleep on the lawn out front. Justin and Austin were asleep on the back porch. Jerry was passed out on the steps. But what shocked him the most was that Corbin and Jacob were asleep cuddling in Chris' bed.


End file.
